“I ain’t indigenous” – reflection of a Bengali

Wasfia Nazreen

Published in BDnews24 on 28 July 2011.

This piece challenges Bangladesh government’s position on the constitutional recognition for the indigenous peoples.

No god, no refuge, no New Year for the indigenous of Bangladesh

Wasfia Nazreen

Published in BDnews24 on 26 April 2011.

This piece discusses ethnic violence in Chittagong Hill Tracts in mid-April.

Where the Streets Have no Name

Bina D’Costa.

The Daily Star Forum, 6 September 2010.

This piece  looks into displacement and dislocation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

Secularism, Bangali Hegemony and Our Constitution

By Hana Shams Ahmed.

Published in the Daily Star Forum on 6 September 2010.

This piece evaluates the lack of an indigenous voice in our constitution.

All America is hallowed ground for freedom

Bridget Kustin

Published in the Washington Post on 30 August 2010.

This piece explores the state of tolerance in the United States in the context of the ‘Ground Zero Mosque’.

The legacy of a disappearance

Tazreena Sajjad.

Published in the New Age on 12 June 2010.

Kalpana Chakma had a rightful place in the politics of this country … By demanding accountability and raising the plight of the Jumma people, she had joined the ranks of leaders, Bengali and non-Bengali before her, who had wanted Bangladesh to be one that was accepting of differences. Her disappearance signifies how far we have yet to go before we can truly call ourselves a democratic nation.

Election 2008: Minorities, Competition, Mobiles

Election 2008: Defenders of the minority vote

Naeem Mohaiemen

Published by the Daily Star on 16 Dec 2008.

Citizens, not enemies

Naeem Mohaiemen

Published in the Daily Star on 12 Dec 2008.

DEBATES around religious minorities, in election season and otherwise, focus on anecdotes and analogies — positive and negative. What is largely missing in this discussion is quantitative analysis of the religious minorities status in Bangladesh.

The one variation is Professor Abul Barkat, of the Dhaka University Department of Economics. Since the 1990s, Barkat along with his large team of researchers have been applying the methods of economic, statistics and survey research to compile a comprehensive picture of Hindu community status since independence of Bangladesh, especially as it has been impacted by the black law known as Enemy (Vested) Property Act.